Wood slicing machines



Oct. 15, 1957 R. D. RUSSELL woon sucms MACHINES Filed June 3, 1955 Uited States Patent 2,809,682 woon SLICING MACHINES Richard D. Russell, LockporflN. Y. 7 Application June 3, 1955, Serial No. 513,054 2 Claims. (Cl. 144 17s .The invention relates to improvements in wood slicing machines as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

Soft and light wood such as that of the balsa and similar trees is greatly desired in the manufacture of toys and models of various kinds and for numerous other purposes, and for a great many of its uses must be available in very thin layers having smooth exteriors. Owing, however, to the lack of cohesion among the constituent particles of such woods which renders the surface tearable under the pres.- sure of cutting blades of heretofore known types, the only instrument. known to date which would separate the wood into smooth sided layers has been the conventional saw. Sawing such woods is impractical and costly in that the thickness of the saw is frequently as great, or greater, as that desired in the slice to be removed so that the waste in such cases equals, or exceeds, the workable material obtained.

The main object of the present invention is to provide simple means for efficiently cutting soft wood into thin slices without loss.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for the purpose specified which can be readily incorporated in a planing machine. of conventional type having a slide operating on a bed.

And generally the obects of the invention are to provide simple, eflicient and inexpensive means which will render the slicing of soft woods economical and practical and thus enlarge the scope of use of such woods.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction arrangements and combination of parts set out in the present specification and more particularly pointed out in the claims for novelty following.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 shows in elevation the side of the cutter opposite to that shown in Figure 1, and shows in-inner side elevation a layer of wood almost completely severed from a block, that portion of the block from which the layer has been separated being cut away to clarify the showing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top perspective view of Figure 2, the longitudinal extent of the slice being increased due to the movement of the wood in respect to the blade in the direction indicated by the arrow placed on the cutting blade.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the work holder, the block of wood and the cutter, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to the drawings in which for the purpose of illustrating the principle the invention is shown applied to a planing machine of conventional type, 1 denotes the bed of the machine which is supported on legs 2, and 3 denotes Patented Oct. 15, 1957 ways therefore means for such purpose is not detailed'iit the drawings.

The slide 3 is provided along its surface, at one side of its transverse centre, from its front end with an upstanding Wall 4 which is preferably slightly' less than one-half the total length of the slide and is secured to the slide in any desired manner, such as by means of bolts 5 extended through a laterally, turned flange 6 and through the slide. This wall 4, or other suitable upstanding part or parts, forms a part of the adjustable clamp for supporting a blockof wood to be carried to the cutting member through the movement of the slide and said wall is provided on its inner side with a plate 7 on which a marginal part of the block of wood 8 is adapted to lie with the main portion thereof overlying the slide and spaced a distance thereabove, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. The other part of the work clamping means consists of a plate 9 which is adapted to lie along the top marginal part of the block of wood in opposition to the plate 7 and is provided with a lateral flange 10 which is adapted to lie parallel with a, similar flange 11 with which the wall 4 is provided. The plate 9 may be secured down hard against the block 8 by means of set screws 12 threading through the flanges 10 and 11. In this manner blocks of wood of different thickness may be accommodated and securely held in position for slicing.

The cut through the wood is made lengthwise of the block and the slices are severed successively from the side of the block farthest removed from the clamping structure.

The means for making the cut lengthwise of the block of Wood comprises a blade 13 which is set on its back with its cutting edge uppermost and is supported above and lengthwise of the slide 3 in the path of the said block so that as the said block is moved rearwardly it will impinge the end of the blade and so will be cut from end to end as the block is moved therepast. The blade 13 is supported independently of the slide 3 so as not to be movable therewith and its cutting edge tapers upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees from the horizontal from its forward end to a height which will be slightly higher than the depth of any block of wood which is to be cut by said blade.

The blade 13 is so spaced from the surface of the slide 3 that the forward end of its cutting edge will lie on a lower plane than the lower face of the block of wood so that as the said block is moved rearwardly its lower leading; edge 15 will be the first to engage the inclined cutting edge of the blade and as the block progresses rearwardly the cutting edge ofthe blade will enter it at an oblique angle and the cut through the block will be made at a'like angler By this relative positioning of the cutting edge of the blade and the work during the cutting operation lateral pull on the constituent particles of the wood is eliminated and the cut will be clean and the surfaces of the severed parts, will ,be smooth.

The cutting edge 14 of the blade is'formed by bevellingtthe forward inclined edge of the blade at the side which is farthest removed from the side of the machine at which the work is supported from the forward end of the blade to substantially its longitudinal centre so that the side 16 .of the blade nearest the work holder will present a .smooth perpendicular exterior which, as the slice 8:: is severed from the block will lie against the fiat surface of the body of the block exposed by the cut, and the other surface, which is next to the inner the portion rearwardly of the cutting edge .is formed parallel to the surface of the slide 3 and is increased in thickness evenly to the rear end of the blade, as is shown clearly at 17 in Figure 3.

It is important that the cutting element be supported .above the slide 3 against longitudinal movement but that provision be made for lateral movement subsequent to each cutting operation so as to compensate for the thickness of the slice last removed and thus re-position the said cutting element in the path of the block of wood on the next rearward movement of the latter.

The presently preferred means for the last described purposes consists of a frame including a pair of uprights 18 secured to the bed 1 in opposition to one another midway of the length of the bed and connected by a transverse beam 19. The uprights are provided with vertical slots 20 in their forward faces providing slideways for rearwardly projecting arms 21 of a transversely arranged, open-faced frame 21a which lies considerably above and parallel to the slide 3 and is adapted for limited vertical adjustment in respect to said slide. A lead screw 22 extends transversely of the machine and is journaled in the ends of said frame 21a and at one side of the machine projects outwardly beyond the end of the frame and is provided with a handle 23 by means of which the said lead screw may be turned.

A head block threads onto the lead screw 22 and is movable transversely of the slide 3 through the rotation of said lead screw, said head also having suitable openings therethrough for the reception of the frame members 25 which provide means for stabilizing said head.

Attached to the head 24 in any suitable mannerand extending downwardly therefrom is a bracket 26 consisting of a metal plate having a relatively short inturned part 27 and an upstanding flange 28. This flange 28 is in length substantially equal to the cutting element 13 and of substantially like shape in side elevation and provides the support for said cutting element or blade 13, through the medium of a plate 29 which is shaped similarly to the flange 28 and lies in surface engagement with the inner side of said flange 28 and is bolted or otherwise secured thereto. The blade 13 stands parallel with the members28 and 29 and is spaced horizontally therefrom by a vertically shallow spacing block 30 which extends along the lower marginal edges of said blade and said flange and which is held in positionby means of bolts 31 which extend horizontally through the flange 28, the plate 29, the spacing block 30 and the blade-13.

The spacing block 30 is for the purpose of providing a space at the outer side of the blade for the slice of wood as it is severed from the main body of .wood and said spacing block may be of any desired, horizontal thickness.

The member 26 is preferably extended rearwardly parallel with the flange 28 and, bolted, as shown at 32, to a bracing plate 33 which is positioned between the side members 26 and 28 and which in turn is bolted, as shown at 34, to the members 28 and 29'.

The extent of rotation of the lead screw 22 by means of the handle 23 may be measured by means ofa pawl 35 cooperating with a ratchet 36xwhich is fixed on a shaft 37 which also carries a gear 38 and this gear:38 isconnected by means ofa chain 39 with a gear'40 which is fixed on the lead screw.

If for any reason it should be de'sirableto adjust the spacing of the blade 13 from the surface of the slide this can be accomplished by meansof vertical shafts 41 threading into; the; frame 21a at opposite sides of the machine and carrying at their top ends bevel gears 42 which mesh-with bevel gears 43' which are carried by a' transverse shaft 44 which in turn is suitably journaled for rotation and is provided with a crank handle 45 by means of which the said shaft 44 is rotated.

In order to avoid the possibility of the wood splitting along the line of severance of the slice from the block as the slice is spread away from the block due to the presence of the blade, it is desirable that a firm backing be provided for the slice as it is severed from the block and to this end the plate 29 opposing the beveled part of the blade is extended slightly beyond the cutting edge and is thickened inwardly towards the inner surface of the slice to provide a surface 59, as shown in Figure 4, substantially paralleling the bevel of the blade, which will resist the outward movement of the slice and keep it from breaking along the line of cut.

In the use of this invention the block of wood from which a slice, or slices, are to be cut is placed lengthwise of the side 3 with a marginal part thereof resting on the plate 7, after which the clamp part 9 is fastened down hard by means of the set screws 12, so that the block of wood will be firmly held with its main body suspended above the slide. The blade carrying head is then adjusted along the lead screw 22 to place the blade in the correct position in relation to the end of the block to give a slice of the required horizontal thickness. As the slide is moved rearwardly the inclined cutting edge of the blade is impinged first by the lower leading edge of the block and as the said block continues rearwardly the cutting edge of the blade enters into and through the wood at an oblique angle in relation to the vertical and cuts it cleanly. As the cutting operation proceeds the slice passes between the blade and the plate 29 and is influenced by the thickening rear part of the blade in a direction away from the body of the block and firmly against the said plate 29 which with its thickened part 50 inclining towards and paralleling the bevel of the blade provides an unyielding backing for the slice and prevents same from splitting at the point of cutting and when completely severed may be caught and removed by the operator, or may be removed in any desired way.

During the movement of the slide forwardly in preparation for the next cutting operation the cutting blade may be adjusted laterally by turning the lead screw 22 to position the said blade in the rearward path of the block of wood to provide for the removal of another slice of the desired thickness.

As stated previously herein the particular means for reciprocating the slide 3 on the bed is not shown or described herein as means for such purpose is considered to be common knowledge.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred arrangement, it will be readily understood that changes and modifications therein may be found desirable or essential in meeting the various exigencies of use, and I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make any and all such changes or modifications as may be found desirable or essential in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims when broadly construed.

What I claim is:

1. In a wood slicing machine, a bed, a slide reciprocable on said bed, means carried by said slide near one edge thereof for holding a block of wood spaced from said slide for reciprocal movement with said slide, a wood slicing blade supported independently of said slideaan'd extending lengthwise thereof in' spaced relation thereto and being movable laterally into position in the path of said block of wood, said blade being set edgewise in relation to said slide and having a lower edge parallel to said slide and spaced therefrom a lesser distance than said block of wood, said blade having a cutting edge inclined rearwardly in a direction away' from said slide from its forward end to substantiallyits longitudinal centre adapted in the progress of said block of wood towards said blade to be contacted first by the lower edge of the leading end of said block of wood and to cut through said block of wood at an angle in relation to 'the transverse axis of said block of wood, a rigid plate extending parallel to said blade at the side of said blade farthest from said block holding means and spaced from said blade a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the slice to be cut from said block and providing means to limit the spreading movement of said slice from the block at the cutting point, and means for moving said blade laterally after each slicing operation.

2. In a wood slicing machine including a bed, a slide reciprocable on said bed, said slide having means to carry a block of wood spaced from said slide, a wood slicing blade supported independently of said slide and extending lengthwise thereof in spaced relation thereto and being movable laterally into longitudinally aligned relation with said block, said blade being set at right angles to 6 said bed and having a cutting edge inclined rearwardly from its front end to substantially its longitudinal centre in a direction away from said slide,lsaid blade being bevelled along its side farthest from said block carrying means, a rigid plate extending parallel with said blade and spaced from the bevelled side of said blade a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the slice to be removed from said' block, said plate having its inner surface opposing the bevelled side of said blade inclined in substantial correspondence with the opposing surface of said blade, and means for moving said blade laterally after each slicing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 477,201 Damus -l June 21, 1892 1,615,489 Straub Jan. 25, 1927 

